Floor surfacer



May 29, 1923.

1,457,224 E. B. GUNTHER FLOOR SURFACER Filed July 5. 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 33 0 '1 v 3 Hum" I l5 20 6-0 47 5 I 21 -3: g 12 .J 9 c y 5 6 8 2 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 E. B. GUNTHER FLOOR SURFACER Filed July May 29, 1923.

May 29, 1923. 1,457,224

' E. B. GUNTHER FLOOR SURFACER Filed July 5. 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented May 29; 1923.

ri en.

EMILB. GUNTHER, OF ALTADENA, CALIFORNIA.

FLOOR SURFACER.

Application filed July 5, 1922. Serial No. 572,816.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMIL B. GUNTHER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Altadena, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful-Improvements in Floor Surfacers, of which the following is a, specification.

This invention relates to surfacing apparatus and more particularly to floor surfacers, and has for an object to provide a floor surfacer involving a caterpillar surfacing medium.

An object is to provide a machine which may be manually or power driven over a floor for the eifectivesmoothing of the flooring to remove unevennesses as between the floor boards, and therefore to bring the edges and abutting ends of the boards flush. It is'an object to provide a machine of this type employing an endless series of cutting members, and to provide means for pressing cutting members to their effective position. Another object of the invention is to provide a machine employing an endless belt of cutters which are adapted to be rendered effective with different degrees of pressure. Another object is toprovlde means for quickly, accurately and readily adjusting the parts to effective position.

Another object is to provide a machine convertible from a 'roughsurfacing tool into a sander, and further to provide means for quickly and effectively tensioning a sanding cylinder strip.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be made manifest in an embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the lefthand side of the machine; showing ittilted for mechanical drive. v

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan, parts being in section. n

Fig. 3 is a detail, longitudinal, sectional view of a part of the frame and showing the caterpillar tool belt.

Fig. 4 is aside elevation of the righthand side of the machine in a position corresponding to Fig. 1. V

Fig. 5 is aside elevation of the righthand side showing the machine as released and positioned for manual propulsion.

for sanding.

Fig. 7 is a right-hand side elevation of,

the adapted machine..,

Fig. 8 is a longitudinalsection of' the sanding drum. g Y

Fig. 9 is an end View ofFi'g. 8, showing the adjustable section of the drum,

Fig.10 isa plan of the bottom of a 'P or unit of the cutters.

Fig.11 is. a side elevation of a cutter.

group unit.

Fig. 12 is .a top plan and'partial' section of a cutter .unit.

Fig. 13 is an end viewof the cutter unit of Fig. 11.

Fig. 14 is aside elevation of aunit skeleton; the cuttingblades beingremoved;

Fig. 15 is a bottom plan of thejunit skeleton. Fig. 16 is an end view ofthe, skeleto shown in Fig. 14;.

Fig. 17 is aside elevation of one of the cutting blades. Fig. 18 is a plan showing-ablankio'f one form of caterpillarspringdevice.

The machine is embodied in a structure consisting of a suitable frame whichmay.

have parallel side flanges 2 cross connected atthe top by a top plate 3,. thus forming, an lnverted" channel-shaped box. Trans,-

versely arrangedupon the forward end of.

the box is a shaft 4 having its outer ends provided with discs 5, journaled for'rotation in the sides 2. The lower portions of the discs may be supported I in bearing,

straps 6. The discs 5 are. provided with cranks 7, which are"co.-axial and carry jack wheels 8.- The crank shaft 4 is design'ed'to be rotated for raising and lowering the front end of the box and this is accomplished by suitable means, which may consist of a sprocket chain combination 10,

including a sprocket wheel 11 fixed on a transverse shaft12 journaled in the sides 2 of the box. On one end ofthis shaft there is secureda lever 13 which extends upwardly and is provided with a locking ratchet 14c toengage a toothed segment 15 concentrically fixed to one side 2 .of the box,

so that by throwing the lever 13 forwardly onrearwardly as desired, the crank shaft 4: is rotated in its bearings and the frame is lifted or lowered accordingly, while the jack wheels 8 rest upon the supporting floor. Fig. 6 is a plan of the machine as adapted Secured to the rearend of the frame. or box In any suitable manner is a rearvvardly extending and centrally arranged trailer wheel 17, which may be mounted in the rear lower end of a bracket 18 fastened to the top of the box structure. It will be seen that the vehicle is thus supported ordinarily on the two jack wheels 8 and the trailer wheel 17, all of which are free and not positively driven.

Across the front end of the frame or box there is arranged a transverse shaft 20, which is preferably longitudinally adjustable as by means of screws 21 passing through the shaft and which are arranged in longitudinal slots 22 provided therefor in the front ends of the side plates 2. Upon this shaft 20 there is secured adrum 23 disposed between the sides 2 of the box and the drum is provided at its ends with sprocket wheels 24, which are provided with sprocket chains 25 extending rearwardly and close to the inside faces of the sides 2, The inner and rear ends of the sprocket chains or belts 25 engage sprocket wheels 26, which are secured upon the ends of a rear drum 2?, which is secured on a transverse shaft 28 journaled in the boX. One end of the shaft 28 is provided with a driving sprocket 29. disposed outside of the adjacent box wall 2, and from this sprocket runs belt 30 leading upwardly to a pinion 31 secured on a counter-shaft 32, mounted in pillars provided on the top 3 of the box.

This counter-shaft is driven by power from any suitable source, such for instance as a motor M mounted on the rear end of the box and the shaft of which is provided with a sprocket pinion 84, driving a belt 35 leading forwardly to and engaging a sprocket wheel 36 fastening on the counter shaft 32. From this it will be seen that the drum shaft 28 may be positively driven.

For manually propelling the vehicle, a suitable handle or handles H may be pro vided and extended to the rear for convenient grasp by the operator. It is desirable to provide means for a mechanical drive of the vehicle by-power derived from the motor M. It is understood that any suitable character of motor, as gas or electric, may be employed.

To provide for mechanical propulsion. the shaft 32 provided with a spiral gear 40. engaging a. complementary gear 41 secured on the forward end of a longitudinal shaft 42. which is provided with a bevel pinion 43 on its rear end. This pinion engages another pinion 44, suitably mounted and combined with a sprocket wheel 45. whereby power is transmitted by means of a sprocket chain 46 extending down to a sprocket wheel 47. which is secured upon a driven shaft 48. This shaft is arranged across the rear end of the box or frame and is designed to oscillate to the frame. The shaft 48 is of tubular form and is rotatively mounted upon .in Fig, 5.

a rod 49, which is fixed in rearwardly extending lever arms 50. These arms extend forwardly and upwardly and are pivoted on bearings 51 in the sides 2 of the box, and the levers also extend rearwardly and have foot pedals so that the operator may, while standing with one foot on the top of the box, also place a foot on one or the other of the end pedals 50 and thus swing these levers with the shaft 48 downward on their pivots. hie of the levers is provided with a forwardly extending end 50, which is designed to swing up and engage the stop 52. This action occurs when the pedals 50 are pressed down. The shaft 48 is normally pressed upwardly by a spring 53 or suitable means and this serves to lift wheels 54 that are mounted tight on the shaft 48 up out of contact with the floor surface, as is shown Therefore, the wheels 54 may be constantly driven, but are held in ineffective position by the springs 53 until such time as the pedals 50 are pressed down. Then these wheels become effective and drive the vehicle. The downwardly pressed levers 50 thus serve to rock on the axis of the wheels and lift the rear end of the vehicle and the trailer wheel 17, carrying the latter out of bearing on the surface.

An important feature of the present invention resides in the means for scraping the surface to be treated. Preferably such means is built up in the form of an endless travelbelt, which includes a number of yieldingly mounted scraping or sawing blades or cutters.

One form of cutter is illustrated in Fig. 17 as consisting of a blade of suitable material, having an effective toothed or roughened edge 61.. each end of the blade being provided with a shoulder 62, and the longitudinal edge that is parallel to the toothed edge 61 is notched as at 63. A number of such blades is mounted upon a carrier. which may be termed a skeleton, and a form thereof is shown as including a set of parallel ribs 65, suitably spaced by fillers 66. engaging end lugs 65 which are perforated to receive respective bushings 67 which pass through the fillers 66. The bushings are suitably riveted or otherwise fastened in a way adapted to receive transversely extenting pivot rods 70, a number of which is arranged in parallel order and upon which rods the units of cutters in tile skeletons are arranged in alternate relation as shown clearly in Fig. 2, thus forming an endless traveling belt which is built up of the cutter units.

The space between parallel ribs 65 enables the insertion therein of a group of the cutter blades 60, as is clearly shown in Figs. 10 and 12: the toothed edges of. the cutter blades projecting beyond the longitudinal outer edge of the ribs so as to be presented emma-4 to and to efiectiv'ely engage :theqsurfacevto be treated. The ribs 65 are of such depth 1 as to bear upon ;thef;front :and "rear drums 23 and 27, around which the built up "belt or cutter units travel. 1 The lugs 62 of the vcutter blades project -longitudi-nally-.and

vided for yieldingly thrusting Itheblades (i0 in one direction, which movement'is limited as the lugs 62 engage the fillers 66. In Figs. 11 and 12 there is shown aispring device having transversearms 72' which are, provided with tubes 73 and these are'pressed .down' against the back edges of the blades 60 The, spring barsi72 have radial arms- 74 extending from loops 7 5 which are shown as arranged on any suitable support, "as forinstance, a cotter pin 7 6;which asses through holesflprovided in theri s 65.

This device; it: will be seen,-serves to yield ingly supportfthe cutters-6O in their positions between. the paralle'lribs65.

Anotherjt'orni of cutter support is shown 1 in Fig.,18 in which fa-lcaf spring blade is provided with o'ppositely extending spring fingers 81, each of the fingers beinggadapted to engage a group mfthecutterblades- 6O between the parallel ribs 65. In thisman ner each end ot eaclrlgroup of cutterblades is yieldingly supported 1 independently of the action of. the other groups of cutters. In other words the spring fingers 81 act individually upon' the contiguous ends of groups of cutters.

XVhen the belt of units has beenconnected up and mounted upon the dermis 1 23 'andv'27, the lower stretches of the beltsags down toward the floor and thedegree of surface of contact of thebelt upon'the floor may be readily determined by rotating the crank or box 'inwhich the belt i sfsupported.. I 4

During operation. of .the'vehicle it may be propelled-f manually whenthe jack wheels 8 and jth'e trailii'ig wheel 17 carry the load.

To make a very" light cut the jack wheel spindles are so turned as to nearly lift the teeth of the cutter "blades froin the fioor'F. The function 'of these teeth 'is' to cut or gr'i nclofi the irregularities Ithat may exist between the meeting edges andendslofithe flooring. In otherfwei'ds, it "is the function of the machine, to bring the flooringinto a smooth superficial ism-face at the o1 nts. of the floor boards. To I lncreasefthe amount of cut thea er wheel shaft so rotated as to further lower the iframe.

g If it is desired to. pr 0pe1 the-evehicle by niotoripower then the operator applies pressure to the pedals 50 andp this results in ispringing' the traction "wheels 54 d'own to the floor surface. The traction wheels" sanding material. p

cylindercan'be pressed toward'the. surface to. be treated by manipulationot the vehicle by means of the ha-n'dle's l l, application of lift. the sand druinasto thefioorsurfaceu v The unit-bearing; pivot rods 70 are pref-j [ferably of suchdiameter as to permit their. v bending and therefore enabling,:the belt stretches which bear uponrthe fioor flike afl mat, to flex conformably with undulations" beingtpositively driven, cause the vehicle to V be propelled thereby. The scraping belt is" adjusted 2' as above; idescribed, whether the the floor. belt-:is removed and there is utilized in its stead a-isandi'ngxdrurn'90.v Thisdruin has. I sections ,91-a'nd 92, the formerxbeing keyed .on. a-shaft93 and the latter being rotative thereon and sets out in suitable position x as by a set-screw 94'accessible inone end of the drum, section '92.= The, drum: is of v uniform diameterlfromyend to end and atoneend thereof there-is attached the end 95 of a helix 96 OfffTlCtlQIl: material such;

- as sand paper or 'cloth.-- This*heli -i wound around the drum from thefiXed end 95-in section 9lontothe section92, where-the end 97 of the-strip is attached. After the drum,

has beenvwound with the sand paper fthe 1 7 section 92-is released and; then-rotated} in" such -direction' ;as to tension {theistrip "96 of sand paper so that this-will bedrawn-v ti ghtly: around the-'drun and then, the: sec: 'tion 92" is fastenediup.onthel-shaft 93 The sanding deviceis readily. attached to v the machine meansotbracket arms-i100,

in tlie forwa rd endsoztfwhichlfthezshaft 93 I isjournaled. The brackets lOOareshQWn 1 as resilient and rew faste ned -by' suitable clamps 101- on the sidesofvthe box. One .end' or'1 the-.'shaft 93 is provided with sprocket wheel 102 engaged'by the -sprocket I chain 103, which is driven. by a wheel 10%;

on thelcounter shaftr32. Thejsandqdrum I Inay be moved into bearingupon-the floor surface by the operation olthe footlpedals .150", whereby the frontend orthe; inachine shaft a to throw the isainef up orldown and correspondingly raise or lower:. the, framev istilted down while the rear-end is-tilted u'p.

'are shown asprovided with a cushioning or elastic jacket 91?, around which theabrasive helix is wrapped. This 'therefore provides fora cushioning or, pliantsupport foi' the The sanding drum or i'orce to which will press c or.

oflthe flooring.

It is understoodQthat'; if necessary the units of saw blades may be slightly offset with respect tofits predecessor in line, so 1 7 that the blades vvillnot registerf onebehind the ether; This o'lfsetting will prevent, there.

The sanding eylindersections 91 mice,-

- as here claimed.

lVhat is claimed is: i

1. A floor surfacer having an endless traveling link-mat chain of surface-scraping means.

2. A. floor surfacer having an endless travcling link-mat chain of surface-scraping means and consistingof parallel rows of groups of blades; the groups of one row be ing offset with respect to the roups of the next contiguous row.

3. A floor surfacer having an endless travcling mat-like chain of surface-scraping means presenting in unending continuity effective scraping elements.

4. A floor surfacer comprising a wheeled vehicle, an endless traveling mat-like chain of scraping units mounted on the vehicleand having a sagging portion operative to scrape the floor, the units being arranged in trans- 'verse rows, and means for regulating the effective area of contact of thesagging portion. I, p

5. A fioorsurfacing machine, includinga wheeled frame and a scraping means niount-- "ed on the vehicle and comprising a chzrn formed of transverse flexible rows of scraping units operative when the belt sags and in engagement with the floor to be scraped.

6. A floor-surfacing machine, including a frame, an endless traveling scraping belt mounted upon the frame, bearing wheels upon which the frame is supported in free rolling position, and power-driven bearing wl'ieels adapted to be shifted into operation to propel the vehicle.

- 7. A floorsurfacing machine, including a frame, an endless traveling scraping belt mounted upon the frame, bearing wheels upon which the frame is supported in free rolling position, powerdriven bearing wheels adapted to be shifted into operation to propel the vehicle, and means for regulating the effective contact by said scraping belt with the floor surface, while supported on the driving wheels. V

8. A floor-surfacing machine, including a frame, an endless'traveling mat-like chain of scraping units mounted upon the frame, bearing wheels upon which the frame is sup ported. power-driven bearing wheels adapted to be shifted into operation to propel the vehicle, and means for driving the scraping chain, including drums carrying said chain and connected by drive elements.

9. A floor-scraping machine. including a wheeled vehicle, an endless traveling mat of units having means for scraping a floor sur face. said mat having a downwardly sa ing transversely pliable portion to approach the floor, and means for adjusting the degree of contact of the effective sagging portion.

floor surface.

11. In a floor-surfacing machine,an' endlesstraveling belt consisting of units of link members, tooth blades carried by the units and operative for scraping a floor surface,

and means for yielding-1y pressing the blades to their effective position.

. 12. A floor surfacer having an endless traveling mat-l1ke chain of surface-scraping means, the chain consisting of units of gangs including independently movable toothed blades.

13. A floor surfacer having an endless traveling mat-like chain of surface-scraping means, the chain consisting of units of gang s and yieldably mov the floor to be surfacechmeans' for driving the scraping means, and foot operated means for raising and lowering the frame so as to tilt on certain of the wheels thereof for low ering propelling wheels, the foot operated means including levers fulcrumed'between their ends on :a wheeled shaft, said levers being connected to the contiguous end of the frame. 7

15. A floor-surfacing machine including a frame having wheels on which it is freely rollable, an" endless mat-like fiexibl e scraping means presenting an effective face to the floor to be surfaced, means for driving the scraping means, and foot operated means for raising and lowering the frame so as to tilt on certain of the wheels thereof, the foot operated means including levers fulcrumed between their ends on a wheeled shaft, said levers being connected to the contiguous-end of the frame, the wheels'of said shaft being power driven.- p v V 16. In a fl0or-surfajc1ng machine a wheeled frame, an endless traveling scraping chain operatively mounted on the frame,

and means for raising and lowering the frame including discs rotatably journaled in the sides of the frame and being axially connected for concurrent rotation, said discs having eccentric portions forming axles for bearing wheels of the frame.

17. In a floor-surfacing machine, a wheeled frame, an endless traveling scraping chain operatively mounted on the frame, means for raising and lowering the frame including discs rotatably journaled in the sides of the frame and being axially connected for concurrent rotation, said discs having eccentric portions'forming axles for hearing wheels of the frame, and means rotating the discs in their bearings and including a transmission mechanismconnected to their shaft.

18. In a floor-surfacing machine, a scraping unit consisting of a set of parallel spaced and fixedly connectedrib-like members, and scraping cutters arranged groups between the said rib-like members.

19. In a floor-surfacing machine, a scraping unit consisting of a set of parallel spaced and fixedly connected rib-like members, scraping cutters arranged in groups between the said rib-like members, and means for yieldingly thrusting the scraping cutters toward an effective position.

20. In a floor-surfacing machine, a scraping unit consisting of a set of parallel spaced and fixedly connected rib-like members, scraping cutters arranged in groups between the said rib-like members, means for yieldingly thrusting the scraping cutters toward an effective position, and means for pivotally connecting transverse rows of the units to form an endless mat-like chain.

21. In a floor-surfacing machine, a scraping unit consisting of a set of parallel spaced and fixedly connected rib-like members,

scraping cutters arranged in groups between the said rib-like members, means for yieldingly thrusting the scraping cutters toward an effective position, and means for pivotally connectin transverse rows of the units to form an endless mat-like chain, the units of successive rows being relatively offset.

22. Ina floor-surfacing machine, a scraping unit consisting of f and fixedly connected rib-like members,

a set of parallel spaced scraping cutters arranged in groups between the said rib-like members, means .for yieldingly thrusting pivotally connecting transverse rows of the units to form anendless mat-like chain.

including 1 23. vA floor-surfacing machine, a frame, an endless traveling scraping mounted upon the frame, upon which the frame issupported in free rolling position, and power-driven'bearing wheels adapted to be shifted into operation belt the scraping cutters toward an effective position, and flexible means for bearings wheels to propel the vehicle, the driving wheels being pressed to effective position by the op erator of the vehicle.

2a. A floor-surfacing machine, including a frame, an endless'traveling scraping belt mounted upon the frame, bearing wheels upon which the frame is supported in free rolling position, power-driven bearing wheels adapted to be shifted into operation to propel the vehicle, and means on which the operator steps to render the power driven wheels effective. I

25. A floor-surfacing machine, includinga frame, an endless traveling scraping belt mounted upon the frame, bearing wheels upon which the rolling position, and power-driven bearing wheels adapted to be shifted into operation to propel the vehicle, the driving Wheels being rendered effective by weight of the op erator.

In testimony whereof I have signed my,

frame is supported in-free 

